Western Bay offenders owe more than $19 million in fines and reparation, including one defaulter whose fines and reparation date back to 1984.
Figures obtained from the Ministry of Justice by the Bay of Plenty Times under the Official Information Act reveal outstanding fines and reparation stand at $19.2 million.
Victims of crime were owed $4.37 million in reparation. More than one third of fines (36.7 per cent) and 21 per cent of reparation payments were overdue.
The oldest outstanding fine and reparation order was imposed in Tauranga District Court on July 17, 1984, for a breach of a hire purchase act by fraud. The exact amount owed in that matter was unavailable.
An arsonist owes the largest amount outstanding. His fines and reparation totalled $232,438 and a payment plan for the debt had been set up by the ministry.
It can be long, slow process for victims waiting to receive their money.
Michelle Hyndman's victims know only too well.
In May 2009 the Otumoetai mother was jailed for two and half years after she admitted she had siphoned $155,367.74 from the Bay of Plenty area branch of Plunket's bank accounts.
The former branch treasurer made 421 fraudulent bank transactions between 2004 and 2008.
Hyndman was ordered to pay $25,000 reparation at $50 a week upon her release from prison, which she has being doing but that meant it would take her almost a decade to pay in full.
Bay of Plenty Plunket area board president Sandy Coley said even if the organisation did eventually receive the full $25,000, it would still be $130,000 out of pocket .
"It's a long time to wait to get paid which is very frustrating but our hands were tied as we had no say about the reparation amount.
"If we had received the $25,000 in full it's a significant amount of money to Plunket and we could do so much good with it," Mrs Coley said.
"Every month when we receive another payment it's like a thorn in our sides, because it's a constant remainder about what happen. It means we don't yet have closure."
Ministry of Justice collection services general manager Bryce Patchell said when a fine or reparation was imposed the ministry would first seek payment in full and then negotiate "sustainable payment" arrangements where possible.
Courts had several options for enforcing overdue fines and reparation, he said.
That included clamping vehicles, seizing and selling property, making compulsory deductions from a person's income source or bank accounts, issuing arrest warrants and preventing an offender travelling overseas.
Mr Patchell said the ministry had used various enforcement strategies to force the 1984 fine and reparation defaulter to pay but with only partial success.
"We have attempted [to execute] warrants to seize, summons to court, compulsory payroll deductions and warrants for arrest.
"These have been partially successful, but at this time we do not have a valid contact information for this person."
A warrant for arrest had been issued, he said.
The Government had introduced new tools to make it harder for people to dodge payment.
This month Driver Licence Stop Orders came into force which means anyone who failed to pay their traffic-related fines imposed by a court, police or a local government authority, can have their licence suspended until full payment or a suitable time payment arrangement was put in place.
Nationally $554,383,117 was owed in fines and reparation.